Chef David Kolotkin, from Prime Grill, has appeared on this pages before ( here, here, here, and here); now he’s back to give us one his superb recipes. As you already know, Chef David doesn’t do things the traditional heimische way but… the result are incredibly delicious!

1. In a food processor with the blade attatchment, process onions until fine and minced. Place in a large mixing bowl.2. Place carrots and celery in the food processor and repeat step #1. Place with onions in the bowl.3. Add herbs to the vegetables.4. Process Sea Bass until fine. Add the eggs, sugar, salt and pepper and mix until combined. Add this to the bowl with the vegetables and herbs. Mix well with a spoon.5. Using a spoon, make 2-3oz quenelles and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.6. Bake for 12-15 minutes until tender and firm. Cool and reserve. We will use the smoked salmon during the assembly of this dish so keep it refrigerated for later.

Sweet and Sour Beets with Basil

1. Combine sugar, vinegar and water in a deep pot.2. Add the beets to the pot and bring to a simmer uncovered until beets are tender. Approx 45 minutes and until only a little liquid is left. The remaining liquid should be a syrup.3. Cool and when cool, add the basil chiffonade. Reserve

Horseradish and Lemon Aioli

1. Place all ingredients except the oil into a mixing bowl.2. Combine using a flexible whisk.3. Slowly start to drizzle the oil in while whisking vigorously in a slow steady stream. Whisk until all the oil has been emulsified. This entire aioli can also be done in a food processor.4. Set asside.

To assemble:

1. Place a small dollop of the aioli on a pc of the chilean sea bass mousse.2. Depending on the size of the smoked salmon slices you may need 1-2 pcs per mousse. Lays the salmon flat on a cutting board. Place the Chilean bass mousse ontop, and roll so the smoked salmon wraps evenly around. Repeat this process until done.3. Place 1 -2 pcs of the Chilean Sea Bass Mousse, Wrapped with Smoked Salmon, on a plate with the sweet and sour beets next to them. It is nice to drizzle some of the natural beet syrup on the plate. Extra horseradish lemon aioli can be placed on the plate as well.

1. Melt the chocolate and cool to room temperature. Mix in the olive oil and coffee and set aside.2. Combine the yolks and powdered sugar and whisk until foamy, add the chocolate mixture.3. Beat the whites to stiff peaks; fold the whites into the chocolate.4. Pour into a 9-ich cake pan or loaf pan lined with plastic wrap and chill 8 hours or freeze for 3 hours. Unmold onto a serving plate and slice.

For a variation I like to sprinkle coarse sea salt onto the top of the mousse. The sea salt brings out the fruitiness of the olive oil and the chocolate.

Poached Halibut in Olive Oil

[non-gebroks]
I remember the first time I watched a chef/friend poach fish in olive oil. It was one of those moments when the light bulb goes off! The fish cooks through with a gentle heat transfer and gains the delicate olive oil flavor. The fish is moist and really luscious! Enjoy the fish hot or cold.

Preheat oven to 275.1. Place the olive oil into a large oven proof dish. Cover the fish with olive oil ¾ of the way. Add the garlic and herbs. Cover the fish directly with a piece of parchment paper.2. Poach the fish until firm and completely translucent (about 15 minutes). Gently remove the fish and discard the garlic and herbs. Strain the oil and refrigerate covered. The oil can be used to poach fish again and will keep for up to 2 weeks.

Parsley sauce with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

[non-gebroks]2 large bunches of flat leaf parsley, leaves trimmed off (reserve the stems for stock making)½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste1. Place a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil. Sear the parsley for about 2 minutes until it is bright green and slightly wilted.2. Place the parsley and extra virgin olive oil in a blender and process until the sauce has a smooth consistency. Salt and pepper to taste

When cooking for Passover and for every meal, I recommend whole, natural ingredients. I never go to the dark side of cooking with products that are loaded with laboratory made ingredients and faux flavors or colors. For this holiday and everyday-let’s keep it real.

I’ve tasted some of the recipes in Chef Laura’s books, I’ve eaten at Shallots when it was open in New York; I can assure you they are all excellent!

Pamela Reiss works with her parents catering business and store in Winnipeg, Canada. By her own admission she’s not a trained Chef, yet judging by this book, the lady can cook!!!

I’ve seen quite a few Passover cookbooks over the years, some very good, some mediocre. This one is excellent! It shows imagination, understanding of the subtle nuances of flavor and has so many delicious recipes.

Among my favorites is the Spinach and Zucchini Soup with the Matzo Ball. For the Mains I have a tough time choosing between the Black Currant Miami Ribs, the Old Fashioned Beef Flanken, the Brisket with Onion Gravy, the Slow Cooked Brisket with Tomato Sauce, or the Pineapple Turkey Meatballs. For desserts there are quite a few that could become my new favorites, among them any of the variations of Crème Brûlée…

Pineapple Turkey Meatballs

Serves 6 – Meat

To make a lighter version, I’ll often use ground turkey or chicken as a substitute for beef in meatballs. But this recipe was created with turkey in mind — I think the sauce works well with turkey, but don’t let that stop you if you want to try it with chicken or beef!